Garrett approves national e-waste recycling program
- 22 May, 2009 16:55
- Comments 8
Environment Minister Peter Garrett
Environment minister Peter Garrett has given the nod to national e-waste recycling at a conference of state and federal environment ministers in Tasmania late last week.
Industry groups earlier this month signed a charter presented at the Environmental Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) meeting to push a national e-waste recycling scheme.
The charter, dubbed the Product Stewardship Compact for Computers and Computer Peripherals, gained unanimous support from computer and television manufacturers including Dell, Apple, Hewlett-Packard and Panasonic which signed the agreement. A proposal under the scheme could legislate a tax at the point-of-sale or import for computer and television equipment, which would facilitate free curbside recycling of all e-waste.
Australian Information and Industry Association (AIIA) CEO Ian Birks said Garret and NSW Deputy Premier Carmel Tebutt agreed to the scheme on a “high level” and expects a plan to hit the ground in November.
“Minister Garret and attending ministers agreed on the importance of and have committed to the creation of a national e-waste scheme,”
“Its a high level commitment so I guess there is a bit of wiggle room in it... The expectation is that the scheme will be signed and agreed to in the next EPHC meeting in November.”
The government will release the proposal's consultation impact statement and a Choice modelling survey of 2000 consumers in July.
Despite Garret refusing to discuss a government-regulated e-tax levy six months ago, Birks is confident the scheme will go ahead, adding the government will find it “hard to back-flip” since studies have shown the proposal to be successful.
"Finally we have a recognition that a national scheme has to be in place — it's good for suppliers and consumers," he said.
The industry-funded initiative would mimic schemes that have been in place in Japan, the United States and the European Union for more than a decade.
According to recent Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, 1.6 million PCs were being placed in landfill every year, and a further 5.3 million were kept garages, and some 1.8 million were in storage.
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Comments
Anonymous
yet another tax, arnt things already dear enough
Anonymous
Tax Tax Tax
Is that all the Gov are good at, taking our money and giving it all to low income earners in ways of bonuses??? What about us middle class earners, im struggling, really struggling... Someone please help us middle class
Bob
Garrett nods national e-waste recycling
And does the proposal say what this plastic waste will be recycled into? (I suppose it won't be shopping bags)
Anonymous
Manufactures should pay
The manufactures signed to it so they should pay the tax out of their PROFIT.
Anonymous
Lets cut the case make one that dosn't break.
They are built purposfully to be obselete and useless.
We live in a maze that has been drawn for us to follow
Anonymous
good idea...
Why shouldn't the consumer pay, they are the ones that wanted to use the equipment, should the tax instead be spead over everone regardless of their purchasing habits?
E-waste has many toxic components and should be disposed of properly. eg CFL light bulbs have a high mercury content, cell phones often have toxic betteries, almost all equipment has lead... it shouldn't go to landfill.
Fefe
Wosers
Why are people who comment always such wowsers, does someone else wipe your butt when you poo? Why should the environment take the blow for your consumption. If you create a mess you should fix it, bring on the tax, people should learn that with every bit of consumption comes a responsibility for the life cycle of your item.
Anonymous
!!!!!!!!
maybe a thought
!!!!!!!!
maybe a thought should go to all the small business computer recyclers out there that have been recycling computers way before these big corporate's have, heres an idea maybe we should join forces and create our own super recycling company and show the big companys what we really know about recycling and how to do it eco friendly and not send it overseas !
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